Recent projects by Tjurunga and its principals

Ecosystem consequences of historical overfishing

Jeremy Jackson of Scripps Institution of Oceanography led an international team of scientists, including Tjurunga principal Roger Bradbury, to undertake an analysis of the impacts of human beings on the world's coastal seas. Their report, published in the 27 July edition of Science, reveals for the first time the importance of fishing, and its complex interactions with other factors, over thousands of years in degrading coastal ecosystems.

Population, resources and environment futures for Australia The CSIRO and the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs have built a complex systems model to explore the interaction between Australia's population, resources and environment to the year 2050. As Chair of the External Reference Group for the study, Roger Bradbury is analysing and critiquing its results. The study, to be published later this year, will be used to inform policy makers and the public about this important area of public debate.

Future of scientific computing

CSIRO Division of Sustainable Ecosystems, a major leading-edge science agency, commissioned Tjurunga in early 2001 to prepare a report on the future of scientific computing as an input to their strategic planning process. The report used complexity thinking to explore the future of this fast moving field and to assist the Division in developing its strategic plan.

Sustainable forestry

Dr Oliver Chikumbo of Lund University, Sweden and Dr Stuart Davey of Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra have completed a major project on sustainable forestry with Roger Bradbury . The project used complexity tools to find solutions in a real forestry situation to the problem of simultaneously optimising conflicting sustainability objectives, such as economic return, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection and societal objectives. The project visualised the complex results as maps to facilitate understanding by a wide range of stakeholders.

Complexity conferences

Managing business complexity

Working with Deal with Complexity Centre and Santa Fe Associates International (SFAI), Tjurunga principals Dr Roger Bradbury and Bohdan Durnota, held an open conference on managing business complexity in Melbourne in May 1999. The conference, which was well attended, introduced senior business executives to the possibilities of using complexity thinking and tools in their enterprises.

The science-policy interface

This conference was organised in March 1999 by Roger Bradbury for the Bureau of Rural Sciences. It drew together an invited group of senior scientists, policy makers and leaders of industry to examine the complex ways in which science and public policy influence each other, and the ways in which this knowledge could be passed to the next generation of leaders in their fields. A book is being prepared on the outcomes of the meeting.

Complexity in public policy

Roger Bradbury and SFAI held a workshop on the use of the ideas of complex adaptive systems in public policy for senior public servants in Canberra in December 1998. The workshop introduced complexity ideas to the public sector and explored how they could be used to better develop and deliver public policy.

Adaptive learning organizations

Working with Access Communications and SFAI, Tjurunga principals Dr Roger Bradbury and Bohdan Durnota,held an open conference on adaptive learning organizations in Sydney in December 1998. The conference, which was an Australian first, introduced senior business executives to the possibilities of using complexity thinking and tools in their enterprises.